APPLES OF GOLD, PICTURES OF SILVER
PROVERBS 25:11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.
A word fitly spoken... Can you imagine? I love this word picture. It's a goal of mine. Maybe it's a goal of yours too.
Doesn't have to be a lot of words... A word... Ahhh maybe that's a clue. I want to be an encourager. We probably won't know until we get to Heaven how many times we really have encouraged others unless they choose to tell us now.
I would like to share an encouraging word - a word fitly spoken - that has stayed with me and changed my life.
I live with constant chronic pain and have for years. Sometimes it's very hard to keep going and sometimes I get discouraged.
One day, after church, it happened in just a quick moment in time. We were in the isles after church visiting with one another. A truly special lady, Pastor's wife, {Neva} patted me on the hand with so much love and caring. She looked into my eyes and told me that nothing can separate me from the love of God. Not even pain.
Then her attention was caught away by another person wanting to hug and speak with her. So we went our separate ways.
Maybe you are familiar with this scripture. It's found in Romans 8:38-39
38) For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come
39) Nor heighth, nor dept, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Nothing... not even pain.
It may not have seamed like a big deal to her, but to me... Apples of gold in pictures of silver.
I have held on to that for years. And many times when the pain kept me in bed and I was discouraged, I would remember. Nothing can separate me from God's love, not even my pain. And I would again thank God for such a special person who would take the time to speak into my life a word fitly spoken.
And yes, in case you are wondering. She didn’t have to wait for Heaven to know what a special encouragement she has been to me. I've told her. She knew. And who knows. Maybe in knowing she felt like she had received a word fitly spoken like apples of gold in a picture of silver. I hope so.